Elsevier

Appetite

Volume 57, Issue 1, August 2011, Pages 148-160
Appetite

Research report
Front-of-pack nutrition labels. Their effect on attention and choices when consumers have varying goals and time constraints

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2011.04.011Get rights and content

Abstract

Although front-of-pack nutrition labeling can help consumers make healthier food choices, lack of attention to these labels limits their effectiveness. This study examines consumer attention to and use of three different nutrition labeling schemes (logo, multiple traffic-light label, and nutrition table) when they face different goals and resource constraints. To understand attention and processing of labels, various measures are used including self-reported use, recognition, and eye-tracking measures. Results of two experiments in different countries show that although consumers evaluate the nutrition table most positively, it receives little attention and does not stimulate healthy choices. Traffic-light labels and especially logos enhance healthy product choice, even when consumers are put under time pressure. Additionally, health goals of consumers increase attention to and use of nutrition labels, especially when these health goals concern specific nutrients.

Highlights

► Consumers evaluate nutrition tables positively but give these only limited attention and use in food choice. ► MTL labels and directive logos can enhance healthy choices, even under time pressure. ► Health goals related to specific nutrients increase attention to and use of nutrition labels.

Section snippets

Front-of-pack nutrition labels

Front-of-pack nutrition labels in a great diversity of formats have a high presence in many countries (Storcksdieck genannt Bonsmann et al., 2010). They are based on a limited number of key nutrients (typically salt, sugar, saturated fat and total fat) in which consumers show most interest (Balasubramanian & Cole, 2002) and of which the negative health effects have been well documented (WHO, 2003).

Three major groups of labels can be identified (Grunert & Wills, 2007), and these differ in their

Evaluation of, attention to, and use of nutrition labels

For nutrition information to have a possible impact on decision making, it needs to be initially appealing, attended to and processed, and used as a basis for decision making (see Grunert & Wills, 2007 for a more extensive scheme). Each of these stages cannot be taken for granted in the context of front-of-pack nutrition labels.

Participants and design

Participants were 309 students from a Dutch University ranging in age from 17 to 32 years (mean = 20.8), with 65% of them female. Students with relevant food allergies or color blindness were excluded from participation. After giving informed consent, participants were randomly assigned to one of the conditions in a 4 (labeling scheme: none, logo, MTL, nutrition table) ×3 (goal: preference, general health, low salt) between subjects design.

Procedure

Because only the nutrition table is currently present in

Time pressure

A limitation of the first experiment is that participants were given unlimited time to process information and make their choice. In reality, consumers often experience time constraints. Time is a scarce resource, and time pressure has been shown to be a barrier to healthy eating behavior (Jabs and Devine, 2006, Welch et al., 2008), although knowledge of nutrition can mitigate this (Mothersbaugh, Herrmann, & Warland, 1993). Additionally, consumers under time pressure alter their attention

Experiment 2: Nutrition labels and time pressure

This experiment has two main objectives. First, it investigates the effect of time pressure on attention to nutrition labels and choice behavior. Second, it examines the generalizability of the results of experiment 1 on the effectiveness of different labeling schemes to a different country. Goal condition is kept constant: all participants receive a general health goal.

General discussion

Front-of-pack nutrition labels can enhance healthy choices among consumers. Yet, their effectiveness depends both on the labeling scheme that is used and on top-down factors such as time constraints and consumer goals. The latter is in line with previous research showing that consumers who value dietary guidelines or for whom health is important are more likely to use nutrition labels (Nayga et al., 1998, Visschers et al., 2010). When a general health goal is salient, healthy choices are

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    The authors gratefully acknowledge the European Community financial contribution under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities, for the Small Collaborative Project FLABEL (Contract no. 211905). The content of the paper reflects only the views of the authors; the European Commission is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained in this paper. The authors are indebted to Inna Ivanova, Ramon Roos, Yesim Kustepeli, Sedef Akgungor, and Yaprak Gulcan for their help in collecting datasets. They thank Charo Hodgkins for her help in constructing the food labels.

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